STRATTANVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – Clarion-Limestone High School is proud of its three separate shop programs, and now students are planning to sell some of their work to the public for fundraising projects at the school.

[Pictured above: C-L Welding II Class students Braylon Beckwith, Gavin Ganoe, Logan Powell, Matt French, Trenton Divins, and Jacob Hughes (in front), with teacher Brian Miller.]

“Here at Clarion-Limestone we are fortunate that we do have three shop programs,” said Jay Ochs, the ag science teacher. “We have a complete wood shop, we have a complete metal shop, and then we have our ag shop, which is both wood, metal, and fabrication. One absolute great thing about that is our students are offered very many electives.”

Students are planning to sell some of the work, such as yard sheds and heavy-duty steel fire pits.

“One of the things we have going on in this shop is we’re building sheds,” continued Ochs. “We’re making our first one. It’s eight by 12, eight-foot-tall side walls, with a 12 roof pitch. We’re hoping to sell that one to make a little bit of money for our FFA (Future Farmers of America).

“We’re hoping to get some more orders and then make some more sheds.”

Jay Ochs, C-L Ag Science Teacher with joists built by students.

Students will make all of the sheds out of locally-cut hemlock. Students are doing all the work by hand using power tools, including rough construction framing.

“There are also a couple of girls in the class with the boys, and they’re doing really well so far.

“That’s our big project for now. We also have projects in the greenhouse. We want to be able to possibly offer baskets this spring that we plant through the winter.”

Also on the list for spring are tomato plants, pepper plants, and onion sets. providing greenhouse projects all go as planned.

The C-L Welding II Class, under the direction of Brian Miller, is working on the completion of a fire pit as another fundraiser.

“The students helped to fabricate the fire pit,” said Miller. “We purchased the general, basic file off the internet, and then we went ahead and modified it by designing the cooktop, some shish kebab spears, or you could cook chicken on the spears.”

The project started as flat steel and then developed on the school’s plasma cutting table, according to Miller.

“We burn out all of the octagonal shapes, and there are some hexagons in there, as well. The students go ahead and fabricate all of the pieces and form the geometric shape, and they’re all welded in, and then everything’s ground off.

“There’s quite a bit of hand labor. It’s a relatively sophisticated part when it’s done as far as the welding goes.”

Miller said the bracket actually works for cooking hot dogs and sausages.

The design is a work in progress, and the class is looking at doing some custom air holes. Miller displayed a design of a German Shorthaired Pointer.

“We’re thinking about putting them around on some of the flat surfaces to let more air into the burn chamber.”

Miller hopes to sell many of them in the area for the FFA Fundraiser.

The school also has the ability to do stainless steel in addition to the dark steel model. There are two sizes available, 25-inch and 37-inch diameters.

“We think this will give our students a pretty good background going out into the real world,” said both Ochs and Miller. “We think that it will make them a pretty sought-after employee.”

Anyone interested in purchasing some of the students’ work should contact the C-L office at 814-764-5111.